The three women did not seem fazed swimming in the 400-year-old Roman fountain

The historical fountain, which is also known as the fountain of Gianicolo, dates back to 1612 when it was created to mark the end of one of the city’s new aqueducts.

Swimming or washing in the fountain has long been banned with those making a splash into the fountain risking a €200 fine if caught.

A shocked onlooker took the young women’s photo as they splashed around in the fountain with the series of images later shared by the Twitter account Trastevere RM, an account which shares photos to publicise Rome.

RELATED STORIES

Pictured

shades of nude

Thousands of people of every age and size strip naked and are painted blue for Sea of Hull art display

Taking the plunge!

Inside the world's deepest swimming pool that reaches depths of 131ft and is even heated

999 DELAY FURY

Mum's anger after she rang 999 when her Down's Syndrome tot was choking and she was put on HOLD

HOLIDAY HORROR

Boy, eight, fighting for life after being found underwater in cruise ship swimming pool

The social media account shared the photo, saying: “It is very hot but the fontanone del Gianicolo cannot become a pool for tourists. Rome deserves more respect!”

Two of the women were clad in black bikinis while a third donned a floral one-piece for the dip.

Temperatures hit 32 degrees in Rome on Friday but swimming and washing has long been banned in the fountain.

The social media account Trastevere RM has since shared other photos of tourists standing in fountains throughout the city with many people saying the people in the water would not behave like that if they were in their home country.

But it is not the first time that tourists have used historical sites to cool off with six UK tourists last year charged with indecent exposure after going for a late-night dip in one of the city’s historic fountains.